Barbara Small Sutherland

Bangor Daily News Obituaries

Barbara Small Sutherland

Apr 28, 1926 - Feb 25, 2017

Barbara's Story

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Cedar Park -Barbara Small Sutherland, 90, passed away Feb. 25, 2017, at Cottonwood Creek Nursing Home in Cedar Park, TX. She was born April 28, 1926, in Machias, daughter of the late Donald W. and Mabel B. Small.
She attended the East Machias schools, graduating from Washington Academy in 1943, and University of Maine at Gorham with a BS degree in 1950. She married William R. Sutherland in 1951, at the Congregational Church of East Machias and later relocated to Houston, Tx. She resided there for 41 years and served 19 years as an elementary and special education teacher. In 1991, she retired from Texas Children's Hospital as a special ed. teacher for the chronically ill. She loved her students and the many challenges teaching presented. She loved dancing, gardening and music and as a younger woman played piano and sang in the church choir.
She is survived by daughters, Nancy Sutherland and Joan Hall of Austin, Tx., grandsons William and Benjamin Hall, granddaughters Jenna and Madeline Hall, her son James, wife Shari of Boerne, Tx., grandson Bradley and granddaughters Lindsey, Courtney and Heather, her daughter-in-law Joyce Sutherland of Stafford, Tx and grandsons Marshall and Eric, her brother Albert Small and wife Beverly of Surry, sister Deborah Geel and husband Terry and her youngest niece, Anna of Ellsworth. She also leaves 4 great-grandchildren, many nieces, nephews, as well as grandnieces/nephews and cousins, all of whom were so very special. She was predeceased by her oldest son, Bill Sutherland Jr.; brothers, Donald Small Jr. and wife, Christine, Robert Small; sister, Nancy Murray; nieces, Christy Murray and Karen Small, and a close aunt, Lilith Bangs of Berwick.
Thank you Mom for your lessons in grace, unconditional love, faith in our Heavenly Father and teaching us how to fully live. The memories will forever live in our souls.
Celebration of Life graveside ceremony and burial will be 11 a.m. Sunday, July 16, 2017, at the First Congregational Church of East Machias.